Having celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes last Friday, our nation and our world stand in need of healing. With the military threat to Ukraine, tension at both our southern and northern borders, natural disasters and violent crime, we have many reasons to ask Mary to pray for us.
With all the bad news and the discussion of partisan division, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act passed last week with little notice. When signed by President Biden the bill will allow employees the opportunity to bring these workplace grievances to court. Many large companies and organizations had specified in employee contracts that such complaints would be mediated by arbitrators who were often chosen by the companies. The bill also allows groups of individuals with similar complaints to pursue class action lawsuits, which employee contracts had sometimes prohibited. This bill supports the dignity of workers whose rights have been violated.
Human dignity and God’s justice, which is love and mercy, were on display when Mary appeared to Bernadette, a poor, sickly, uneducated girl, who, through Mary’s direction and God’s power, caused healing waters to flow. May Mary’s prayers help us to be instruments of healing and peace.
